Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-07-28
SHOT IN THE STREET.
Jas Burnett Instantly Killed by Henry
T.. Burgess.

| A STARTLING TRAGEDY ON PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE
| BURNETT HUNTS FOR BURGESS. But THE LATTER
GETS THE ''DRoP' FIRsT-THE INQUEST TO-DAY.
Henry E Burgess, a colored man, the proprietor
| Of the Monticello Club House, on street. near
18th street, last evening at o'clock in front OF
| the barber-shop 3o2 Pennsylvania avenue shot
and Instantly killed James Burnett colored
| man. There had been some trouble between the
| two men, arising from the fact that Burnett had
been elected by Burgess from his place on street.
| Burnett had threatened vengeance. Yesterday
| afternoon when Burgess came out OF the barber
/ shop Burnett came across the Avenue, and STEP
ping up TO Burgess said: 81 have been looking fol-
you" Burgess had already placed his hand on
his htp-pocket, and Burnett was reaching for his
pistol There were good many people ON the
Avenue at that time, and the sight OF these men
confronting each other, one pointing q pistol In
! tie Others face. created much excitement. The
men stood in this position for some seconds and a
man In the crowd interfered to prevent trouble
and grasped Burgess by the arm. Burnett then
| drew his pistol, and Burgess, shaking himself
| loose from the man, fired at his opponent. The
bullet struck Burnett in the forehead Just over the
right eye. and he fell forward on his face perfectly
Gtad. In one hand he clutched British bull bog
| revolver, and blackjack hung from his wrist.
sixth precinct station, and the body OF the dead
man Was taken TO the mOrgue. Burnett is said to
Rre mao sa,n gao6 6aa record with the police While
To nave done The shooting in Self-defe1Se.
! THE INQUEST.
The body OF JAS. Burnett lay In the dead-house
at the sixth precinct police station this morning
While outside during the morning were collected
groups, composed mostly or colOred people, who
discussed the tragedy. Coroner Patterson arrived
before III O'CLOCK and SwOre the Jury as is the Gus
tom, over The body of the dead man. The jury
Was composed or ThOS. T. Jacobs, Geo. L. Gill,
john Holmes, Henry L. Houck, Darwin +. Perry,
and JAS. L. Power.
The jury was then assembled in the sitting
= Ahpna Y NC.S
ready the prisoner. Burgess brought In and
given u seat near the cor2ner'o table, beside his
brother anu his counsel Mr.. A. ID. Williams.
burgess Is man or small stature, about thirty
years old, dark brown i'll color and wears a mus
Iachc. He was well dressed, iii a grayish summer
suit, the coat being or the double-breasted Prince
Albert pattern. lie Is u weli-known barber. Bur-
nett The dead lnan. was also OF medium size, and
Wei dressed He WAS about thirty years OLD.
THE TESTIMONY.
Jno Wilkinson, colored, living on 4th street be-
tween and streets southeast, was the first
witness called. He WAS in a bar-room near the
spot where the shooting occurred. He saw
crowd gather, heard TWO shot, Tired and, looking
OUT, saw Burnett fall He could not say who fired
the Shot.
ii. f. quincy, colored of 34s Pennsylvania av-
ehue, the next witness, said about > O'Clock he
another man whom he did not know, the street,
evidently engaged In Il controversy. Burgess had
pistol In his hand. Burnett was standing Lean
Ing on Ills umbrella, with one leg crossed over the
Other. He saw no change in the attitude of the
parties till he Leonard come I'D and he
thought, take hold or Burgess. Then Burnett
stepped as II he were going away. Then he saw
Burgess raise his pistol, and his impression was
that he fred before burnett drew his pistol. Then
burgess nreu again and Burnett fell. Witness was
ABOUT twenty-n feet away but did not hear any,
thing that was said
Chas Ii. Parker OF AZ and streets southwest,
testified that he WAS in his Dayton wagon, about
20 Iett from the spot where the shooting occurred.
\ little boy with MIN said, 'There IS going to be q
hight" He saw Burnett put his hand down into
his lp-pOcket alter i pistol. lie also had a
''black-Jack" in his hand. He saw Burgess fire and
Burnett fall. Burnett, when he fell had his pistol
III MS hand, and IL Was under him when he Was
raised.
Agnes Ford, OF AS street southeast, said She
saw Burgess and Burnett and other men In front
OF building She described the scene she behe d
III Il very rapid manner, without any stops. The
man that did the shooting she said, ran up to the
man who was shot and said, "DonL You say
word. Don't you say word" repeating it sew
eral times. Presently he said II dare you to say
ANYTHING" The man who was shot said nothing.
Another man ran between them. The man WHO
did the shooting pushed him aside and said 'DOI L
you dare TO take up for him." Then the man who
dld the shooting fired
Ibid the man VINO was shot have pistol In his
hand?" asked a Juror
NO ST. said the witness very emphatically.
ne one VINO got Sh0t wanted to get away"
1T ALMOST SET HER CRAZY.
1T Is the first time ever saw ANYTHING like
that, sail the witness, explaining her excite
ment. Il am forty years old, and never saw one
man Kill another before, and 1t almost set Inc
crazy
W: j. McInerney, OF $50 street southwest an
empiOye III BlrchardS store, corner OF AZ and
Pennsyivania avenue, testified that he first saw
Burgess standing in the doorway with pistol I'm
his hand Burnett was standing at one Side. He
saw Burgess strike Burnett with his LETT hand
linen Burnett started away, putting his hand into
another man came between them, and Burg ess
nred. He nred once low, and then fired again O,er
Leonard'S shoulder, and Burnett fell.
Dr. Lachlan Tyler described the course of the
PAIL which, entering above the left eye, produced
death almost Instantly.
THREAT THE NIGHT BEFORE
+. c. Revells OF the Police Court, testified that
the night before the shooting while standing ON
Pennsylvania avenue with Peter Meredith Bur
nett came up and said that Burgess put a gun on
his face and knocked HI out OF him and tnaf
he had gone to the baseball grounds looking for
him that day, and he would shoot him on s1c.ht
Yesterday afternoon, while witness was In the
Phlladelpnia House, some one came In and said
there was about TO be a duel in the street. He
saw burgess standing In front OF the barber shOp
ana Burnett In front OF him in rather a menacinp
position He saw Leonard step between them
ana then he saw pistol in Burgess hand As
burnett stepped away he put his hand into his
MP pocket as II t1pull something out. Then bur
CESS fired and Burnett fell.
JAS Leonard, cOlOred or I'll G. street nOrthwest
TESTIFIED that he Was Sitting ON the steps OF the
Philadelphia House. He saw Burgess and Burnett
taking There was a pistol in Burgess hand, and
anything more I'll shoot YOU" Then witness ran
toward them: Burgess hit Burnett in the month
and was ''tusscling1 with him when Burnett
turned Then Burgess up with his pistol and red
Before the shooting witness heard Burnett ask
burgess what satisfaction he would give him for
something that had occurred the day before and
Burgess said This is all the satisfaction IN give
YOU Go away" and kept
SHAKING THE REVOLVER IN BURSErr's FACE
Thos- j. Smith, cOlored 446 9th street SOUTH
west was being shaved in rinn's barber shcp. I'm
mont OF which The shooting occurred lie re,ti-
lied That Burgess and Powell had been in here
talking ABOUT buying the shop, and when they
went 10 The door he heard words He heard Bur
CESS say: III you put your hand in your pocket
/ II shoot You. Witness face was covered with
aging: It's rather too close TO me- and II YOU
lie Aeari Burgess say I'll you put Your II md II,
your pocket Kill YOU" With that Burgess, struck
burnett III The lace, and Leonard went between
theln Then he saw Burnett put his hand into his
pocket anu ne heard snut but who fired that
aEOt ne could not say. IL. tn.L saw Burgess FIRE
aiu BurHttt fall. Burnett had something in his
hdnd when he I;'ll. When the police took him nm
NJ hi.i i revolver In his hand and black lack
about his wrist 'o>
Daniel Thomas and Samuel D. Gray also de-
Scfioed thc shooting substantially as described by
other Witnesses ~
Samuel Newton, colored, testified that he saw
BURNETT come across & street and walk I'D to
burgess AT the barber snUp and heard BURGESS saw
lou = - - IL you open your mouth I'll XIII
YOU" He then described the shooting
Abraham Hall, cOlOred, also described he shoot
lIlS dS Olltr witnesses did, saving that Rurpett